There are more audio plugins at our fingertips than ever before. Whenever new products or software hit the market, I always ask myself, “Will I actually use this and will it serve my needs?” On the topic of guitar amplifiers and simulation, I take a “best of both worlds” approach. When performing live, I use solid-state Quilter amplifiers because they sound great to me, and they’re lightweight and easy to transport to gigs. If something isn’t broken, why fix it?
However, when it comes to my recording workflow, I can honestly say that I use amplifier simulators in virtually every song and project I work on. Why? Because the amplifier simulation plugins available now sound incredible, provide enhanced features, and are convenient to use. It’s that simple. But, like any tool, some simulators may be better suited for certain recording projects than others. At the end of the day, it always comes down to serving the song and making decisions about the specific needs and preferences for your own recording projects. While not definitive, these essential virtual amp packages are sure to provide solid tones for creating high-quality guitar recordings. And remember: the plugins market is competitive, so manufacturers offer sale prices often. Watch for bargains.
IK Multimedia - AmpliTube 5 MAX v2 Software Suite
AmpliTube’s official Fender models give you all the cleans you’ll ever need.
If you know anything about amplifier plugins, chances are high that you have heard of the tone monster that is AmpliTube by IK Multimedia. AmpliTube 5 MAX v2 is a highly versatile plugin with a fun, easy-to-use interface that includes an extensive collection of cabinets, microphones, and virtual recording environments. The amplifiers I use most frequently that are included in AmpliTube 5 MAX v2 are from the Orange, Mesa/Boogie, and Fender collections. One of my favorite setups for achieving a strong all-around rock tone is using AmpliTube’s Tiny Terror with the in-app Fulltone OCD stomp. However, when I need heavier tones to quickly beef up my metal or grunge guitar stacks, the “James N’ Kirk” and “Jerry In Chains” are two of my favorite presets in the AmpliTube 5 MAX dropdown menu. Maybe you’re angling for a more vintage, surf-rock feeling? In the Fender collection, the ’65 Deluxe Reverb is my main go-to, with the Opto Tremolo and PRO drive stomp at the beginning of the chain. With this, I get a similar tone as heard on the song “Wayward Nile” by the Chantays. Classic and vibey!
The short take: AmpliTube 5 MAX v2 comes with a huge spectrum of amplifiers and artist collections including Carvin, ENGL, THD, Gallien-Krueger, Leslie, Dr. Z, Jet City, Joe Satriani, Brian May, Dimebag Darrell, Jimi Hendrix, and Slash.
$299 street, ikmultimedia.com
IK Multimedia - TONEX MAX
Profile a snapshot of your favorite rigs with TONEX Capture.
Also from IK Multimedia, TONEX MAX is another monster tone tool to check out. TONEX comes stocked with over 1,000 tone models based on tons of amps and stomps, but it also allows you to model your own amp. One of my old live rigs consisted of running a Visual Sound Jekyll & Hyde Overdrive into an Orange CR60 1x12” 60-watt combo. Using TONEX Capture, I modeled this duo, and now I’ve got it locked as a plugin insert in my DAW. Pretty cool, right?
Fans of classic gear like the Ibanez TS9 and the ’65 Princeton Reverb will find them in TONEX, as well. Having this breadth of tones, which now includes my own former rig, has been a useful addition to my virtual amplifier and effects library. Plus, you can use TONEX as both a plugin in your DAW or as a standalone application.
$399 street, ikmultimedia.com
Line 6 - Helix Native
Pull up a delicious preset and tweak it to your heart’s desire in Helix Native.
Helix Native is an “all-in-one” package with a wide variety of amplifier and effects processors. As mentioned, I use an expression pedal for controlling stomp effects via MIDI inside my DAW. If I want to create whammy sounds inspired by players like Tom Morello or Buckethead, for example, I might use the Pitch Wham (based on the DigiTech Whammy) and utilize the automation/controller assign section. You can click on any parameter, like the position or heel pitch, and choose “MIDI Learn” for controlling the effect via an expression pedal or other type of MIDI continuous controller.
If you are into ethereal tones and shimmery reverbs, the “X Ray” preset will launch your sound into the depths of outer space. Another top choice is the “Eat It” preset: a fiery rock tone with attitude. I can’t help but jam out to “Morning Glory” by Oasis with this one. This amp and effects plugin might just be what you need to take your guitar tracks to the next level—or universe!
$399 street, line6.com
Waves - GTR3
ToolRack could be your one-stop shop for not just studio work, but live gigs, too.
When it comes to audio plugins, you cannot go wrong with Waves. For guitarists, Waves GTR3 comes with a total of four plugins: Amps, Stomps, ToolRack, and Tuner. From a new-user standpoint, GTR3 Amps has a straightforward design with five different amp types: Bass, Clean, Drive, High Gain, and NeilCitron. Each type includes a variety of presets with knob controls for drive, bass, mid, treble, and presence. Being a hard-rocker at heart, I am most drawn to the High Gain amp type with the “Monster” preset. The default cabinet and microphone settings sound huge, and if you’re like me, you may find yourself playing the classic Tony Iommi riff from “Iron Man” with this one. While the tones can hold their own, I would also use GTR3 to add extra layers, or stacks, with other guitar tracks.
No pedalboard? No problem. GTR3 Stomps comes with three stomp plugins with a nice selection of effects including modulation, harmonic, time-based, and temporal processors for building your virtual pedalboard. As with Amps, I like the straight-forward design of Stomps, and it’s fun experimenting with different pedal chains. If you are looking for tone with screamin’ high gain, the “Autodafeh” preset is a good starting point for a more edgy rock sound with a fuzzy vibe.
Whether for live or studio applications, the GTR3 ToolRack is an all-in-one package that combines Amps and Stomps with GTR Tuner. A unique feature included with ToolRack is the preset grid, which could be used to organize and optimize your custom presets for live shows. There are also plenty of stock factory presets to serve as an extra dose of tonal inspiration when recording. Perhaps you want to create atmospheric music that could be heard in a video game soundtrack or nature documentary. The “PadOsphere” preset is where I might start to create an enveloping guitar pad for texture. In the same browser window, you could also jump to the “Enter Soundman” preset for a more metal/thrash heft. The best part? At less than 30 bucks, you don’t have to break the bank for Waves GTR3.
$29 street, waves.com
Waves - PRS SuperModels
Three esteemed PRS amps go digital with this plugin pack.
PRS makes some of the finest instruments on the market. One of my most prized guitars is a 2004 PRS Singlecut with a figured-maple top and East Indian rosewood fretboard. So, I may be biased! Regardless, the Waves PRS SuperModels plugin is unique and cutting-edge. The three amplifiers included in this collection are PRS’ Archon, Dallas, and Blue Sierra. I gravitate towards the Blue Sierra V9, but there is something special about the sonic character of all three that makes me want to keep playing through them.
Among other features, each model includes a power amp allowing you to really shape the tube amp’s character and tone color with bias, speed, and sag parameters. In the cabinet module, the timer feature is handy because you can cycle through different impulse responses, which is great for auditioning the sound of different amps without having to stop playing. As a player, I don’t want to be distracted by technical aspects, so having automatic features such as auto input, time fix, phase fix, and smart mix enabled allow me to better focus on doing what I really love most: creating catchy guitar riffs!
$35 street, waves.com
Waves - Voltage Amps
If you are into music spanning from the ’60s to the ’90s, Waves’ Voltage Amps is another package you may be interested in checking out. You will find that the Royal-X, Aggro, Blue Flame, Arena, and Silverado amplifiers each have a distinct character for getting classic and modern tones. The cabinet section allows you to choose between six cab pairs, adjust their tone (dark/bright), and shape the room’s influence on the speakers. The focus, depth, and presence parameters allow you to further sculpt and fine-chisel the EQ of your tone based on the specific guitar and amp you are using. The Aggro amp’s “Massive Lead” preset with the focus sitting around 2 o’clock is a personal sweet spot.
Don’t worry, bass players. Voltage Amps has a couple swell amp models for you, too: the Vintage Velvet and Dark Mass. These amps can bring it! The direct, drive, and voice settings make it a breeze to carve out spectral space for the low end. I like the Dark Mass model set to the “Drive and D.I.” preset—plenty of punch that’s not too boomy. Since Voltage’s amps are modeled after tube amplifiers, you might even try using some of the artist presets to add some color to your drums and vocals tracks.
$29 street, waves.com
Native Instruments - Guitar Rig 7
Build your tone piece by piece in Guitar Rig 7’s rack, pictured here.
Native Instruments’ Guitar Rig 7 is another compelling option for your virtual guitar and effects needs. For me, the preset and components browser makes the decision-making process for choosing tone and effect combos easy. While the presets are a fine starting point, you might find it helpful to begin with the factory default setting, or an empty rack, and audition different components individually by dragging and dropping them into the rack. Once you find something you like, you can save your own presets for later recall. The input source section also has processors and presets I might use for projects outside of my normal production workflow. For example, the “Mark My Words” preset includes some trippy sounding modulation and lo-fi effects, like Noise Machine, Formant Filter, and Freak Oscillator. This could work great for psychedelic or experimental rock. If you turn off the modulations, the base tone recalls John Paul Jones’ keys on Led Zeppelin’s “No Quarter.”
$199 street, native-instruments.com
Positive Grid - BIAS Amp 2
Design your own amp in BIAS Amp 2.
When I first loaded up BIAS Amp 2 in my DAW, I didn’t want to stop shredding to Iron Maiden riffs through the 6503 MkII amp. The design and functionality of the processors that power the tone stack, power amp, and transformer parameters are highly detailed and superb. These processor sections provide advanced controls to shape the EQ, dynamic, and solid-state/tube characteristics of your sound with surgical precision. There is also a unique feature included with BIAS Amp 2 called Amp Match. As the name implies, this feature allows you to model your own amplifier, or capture the sound of another audio file, and apply it to your tone. If you want to add more depth and spatial dimension to your sound, the built-in reverbs include studio room, hall, plate, and chamber.
$299 street, positivegrid.com
Positive Grid - BIAS FX 2
BIAS FX 2’s clever Guitar Match puts a world of instruments at your fingertips.
Another heavy-hitter from the Positive Grid family, the BIAS FX 2 is a powerful amp and effects processor with a plethora of beautiful tones and enhanced features such as Guitar Match, looper, auto-detection, and middle effect. Using Guitar Match, you can actually make an emulation of a guitar, choosing from a variety of popular guitar models and applying their characteristic sounds to your own. I performed both the quick and full match feature using my Gibson ’60s LP Standard and the process only took a few minutes. The looper feature is convenient for customizing your own presets by allowing you to play first, then tweak settings as your performance loops. The integrated backing track player is an extra bonus if you want to jam along to your favorite songs or if you have a gig coming up and need to quickly learn some covers. BIAS Amp 2 and BIAS FX 2 are like the dynamic duo: You can’t go wrong with having them both on your side.
$179 street, positivegrid.com
STL Tones - AmpHub and ToneHub
If you want flaming hot tones, look no further than STL AmpHub and ToneHub! There are 42 amplifiers, 27 pedals, and 24 speaker cabinets available (the Eddy 5153 amp is one of my favorites). In the header controls, there are tons of presets that are organized based on both artist settings and amplifier models, streamlining the process of finding a starter tone. In the stomp boxes, amplifier and cabinet views, the layout and search features also make it easy to find the processors you want. In the cab view, you can further customize the speaker configurations as well as the microphone type, angle, and distance to the cab’s grille.
In ToneHub, the preset information tab provides detailed descriptions and notes on the gear used for each tone model. So, if you are really wanting a specific tone chain, ToneHub has got you covered. The combination of ToneHub’s tracing amplifier, cabinet 3D mixer, and tone packs make this a tonal powerhouse, and a perfect companion to AmpHub.
$10 monthly (AmpHub), $15 monthly or $199 (ToneHub), stltones.com
Neural DSP - Soldano SLO-100
Neural’s Soldano plugin is a treat to look at, and its deep tweakability sweetens the deal.
The virtual Soldano SLO-100 from Neural DSP is smooth to operate and sounds like a high-gain dream. There are five main sections: stomp effects, amplifier simulation, EQ, cabinet simulation, and time effects. The stomp and time effect sections include the essentials—compressor, overdrive 1, overdrive 2, chorus, delay, and reverb. The cab simulation section includes six internal microphones based on the usual suspects used on guitar cabinets: dynamic, condenser, and ribbon. You can change their positions and distance to the cabinet speakers with fine adjustments and ultra-precision.
From warm, pristine cleans to crunchy and heavy, the SLO-100 can also be used as a standalone application or inside of your DAW. The Far Far Away preset, included in the factory menu, is bang-on for spacey atmospherics and ethereal layers. The tone here reminds me of the opening guitar of “Voices” by Alice In Chains. The clean chorus setting is another favorite in the SLO-100, especially for getting that iconic lush, watery tone you hear on tracks like Def Leppard’s “Hysteria.” While I have never owned a hand-wired Soldano, the virtual version of the SLO-100 is an impressive workhorse with authentic tones.
$105 street, neuraldsp.com
Neural DSP - Morgan Amps Suite
Don’t let the citrus-fruit Tolex confuse you—pictured here is Morgan Amplification’s take on a Dumble-style clean amp, digitized for Neural’s plugin suite.
Neural’s Morgan Amp Suite is a new collection of prestigious virtual amplifiers based on amp builder Joe Morgan’s eponymous brand. The models included in this package are emulations of Morgan Amplification’s AC20, PR12, and SW50R, which are inspired by a vintage Vox AC30, Fender Princeton Reverb, and clean Dumble amp, respectively. Several cool features, including transpose, doubler, and spread, are included on each. The transpose knob makes it so easy to experiment with guitar tunings, especially if you are into the down-tuned menace of heavier music genres.
$108, neuraldsp.com
Universal Audio - Softube Amp Room Bundle
You can’t crank your amp up in your apartment, but you sure can in Softube’s Metal Amp Room.
The Softube Amp Room Bundle from Universal Audio is a plugin package made for both the classic and modern player. It includes three “rooms,” each outfitted with amps that correspond to the room name—Vintage, Metal, and Bass. Included in the Vintage Amp Room, you have three pristine ’60s-style amps dubbed White, Brown, and Green. I really dig the White Amp with the White Power Amp Overdrive preset with a bit of gain roll off on my guitar. I get that sweet blend of clean and distorted break-up that provides a tone similar to “House of the Rising Sun” by the Animals, or even Kurt Cobain’s intro strumming on “About a Girl” by Nirvana.
On the other side of the virtual house, the Metal Amp Room is loaded with fierce gain and brutal tones. This one definitely brings out the punk rocker in me. I shred and head bang to “Blitzkrieg Bop” by the Ramones with just the default preset, and it sounds killer. Along with standard amp controls, you can adjust the mix of the microphone balance and their positions relative to the speaker cabinets. If recording in stereo, the stereo width knob is great for enhancing, or widening, the microphone mix in the stereo field.
All about that bass and no treble? With the Bass Amp Room, the vintage-’70s-modeled amp tones instantly enhance your low-end rumble. You can really dig into your tone with the direct inject knobs and D.I./amp balance slider as well.
$199 street, uaudio.com
The Last Word
I view all these virtual amplifier packages through a subjective and objective lens. Are there similarities? Yes. Do I have my own preferences? Of course. Will these change over time as audio technology evolves? Absolutely.
Always keep in mind that “serving the song” is the number one priority, and this will never change. Never let software or hardware hinder your creativity, inspiration, or project goals. The tools you use to get there are up to you, and every audio professional has their own methods—what some would refer to as “magic” or “wizardry.”
My advice? Try out the free versions and demo trials of these amp software packages. Determine which ones are most suited for your own recording needs and go from there. The bottom line: keep cool and rock on!
- Pairing Amps for Golden Tones ›
- Heil PR30: Amp Mic and Much More ›
- 8 Guitar-Amp Mods for Newbies ›
- Tone Tips: Dialing in Your Gear for Great Sound ›
Keith Urban’s first instrument was a ukulele at age 4. When he started learning guitar two years later, he complained that it made his fingers hurt. Eventually, he came around. As did the world.
He’s in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He’s won 13 Country Music Association Awards, nine CMT video awards, eight ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) Awards, four American Music Awards, and racked up BMI Country Awards for 25 different singles.
He’s been a judge on American Idol and The Voice. In conjunction with Yamaha, he has his own brand of affordably priced Urban guitars and amps, and he has posted beginner guitar lessons on YouTube. His 2014 Academy of Country Music Award-winning video for “Highways Don’t Care” featured Tim McGraw and Keith’s former opening act, Taylor Swift. Add his marriage to fellow Aussie, the actress Nicole Kidman, and he’s seen enough red carpet to cover a football field.
Significantly, his four Grammys were all for Country Male Vocal Performance. A constant refrain among newcomers is, “and he’s a really good guitar player,” as if by surprise or an afterthought. Especially onstage, his chops are in full force. There are country elements, to be sure, but rock, blues, and pop influences like Mark Knopfler are front and center.
Unafraid to push the envelope, 2020’s The Speed of Now Part 1 mixed drum machines, processed vocals, and a duet with Pink with his “ganjo”—an instrument constructed of a 6-string guitar neck on a banjo body—and even a didgeridoo. It, too, shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Country chart and climbed to No. 7 on the pop chart.
His new release, High, is more down-to-earth, but is not without a few wrinkles. He employs an EBow on “Messed Up As Me” and, on “Wildfire,” makes use of a sequencerreminiscent of ZZ Top’s “Legs.” Background vocals in “Straight Lines” imitate a horn section, and this time out he duets on “Go Home W U” with rising country star Lainey Wilson. The video for “Heart Like a Hometown” is full of home movies and family photos of a young Urban dwarfed by even a 3/4-size Suzuki nylon-string.
Born Keith Urbahn (his surname’s original spelling) in New Zealand, his family moved to Queensland, Australia, when he was 2. He took up guitar at 6, two years after receiving his beloved ukulele. He released his self-titled debut album in 1991 for the Australian-only market, and moved to Nashville two years later. It wasn’t until ’97 that he put out a group effort, fronting the Ranch, and another self-titled album marked his American debut as a leader, in ’99. It eventually went platinum—a pattern that’s become almost routine.
The 57-year-old’s celebrity and wealth were hard-earned and certainly a far cry from his humble beginnings. “Australia is a very working-class country, certainly when I was growing up, and I definitely come from working-class parents,” he details. “My dad loved all the American country artists, like Johnny Cash, Haggard, Waylon. He didn’t play professionally, but before he got married he played drums in a band, and my grandfather and uncles all played instruments.
One of Urban’s biggest influences as a young guitar player was Mark Knopfler, but he was also mesmerized by lesser-known session musicians such as Albert Lee, Ian Bairnson, Reggie Young, and Ray Flacke. Here, he’s playing a 1950 Broadcaster once owned by Waylon Jennings that was a gift from Nicole Kidman, his wife.
“For me, it was a mix of that and Top 40 radio, which at the time was much more diverse than it is now. You would just hear way more genres, and Australia itself had its own, what they call Aussie pub rock—very blue-collar, hard-driving music for the testosterone-fueled teenager. Grimy, sweaty, kind of raw themes.”
A memorable event happened when he was 7. “My dad got tickets for the whole family to see Johnny Cash. He even bought us little Western shirts and bolo ties. It was amazing.”
But the ukulele he was gifted a few years earlier, at the age of 4, became a constant companion. “I think to some degree it was my version of the stuffed animal, something that was mine, and I felt safe with it. My dad said I would strum it in time to all the songs on the radio, and he told my mom, ‘He’s got rhythm. I wonder what a good age is for him to learn chords.’ My mom and dad ran a little corner store, and a lady named Sue McCarthy asked if she could put an ad in the window offering guitar lessons. They said, ‘If you teach our kid for free, we’ll put your ad in the window.’”
Yet, guitar didn’t come without problems. “With the guitar, my fingers hurt like hell,” he laughs, “and I started conveniently leaving the house whenever the guitar teacher would show up. Typical kid. I don’t wanna learn, I just wanna be able to do it. It didn’t feel like any fun. My dad called me in and went, ‘What the hell? The teacher comes here for lessons. What’s the problem?’ I said I didn’t want to do it anymore. He just said, ‘Okay, then don’t do it.’ Kind of reverse psychology, right? So I just stayed with it and persevered. Once I learned a few chords, it was the same feeling when any of us learn how to be moving on a bike with two wheels and nobody holding us up. That’s what those first chords felt like in my hands.”
Keith Urban's Gear
Urban has 13 Country Music Association Awards, nine CMT video awards, eight ARIA Awards, and four Grammys to his name—the last of which are all for Best Country Male Vocal Performance.
Guitars
For touring:
- Maton Diesel Special
- Maton EBG808TE Tommy Emmanuel Signature
- 1957 Gibson Les Paul Junior, TV yellow
- 1959 Gibson ES-345 (with Varitone turned into a master volume)
- Fender 40th Anniversary Tele, “Clarence”
- Two first-generation Fender Eric Clapton Stratocasters (One is black with DiMarzio Area ’67 pickups, standard tuning. The other is pewter gray, loaded with Fralin “real ’54” pickups, tuned down a half-step.)
- John Bolin Telecaster (has a Babicz bridge with a single humbucker and a single volume control. Standard tuning.)
- PRS Paul’s Guitar (with two of their narrowfield humbuckers. Standard tuning.)
- Yamaha Keith Urban Acoustic Guitar (with EMG ACS soundhole pickups)
- Deering “ganjo”
Amps
- Mid-’60s black-panel Fender Showman (modified by Chris Miller, with oversized transformers to power 6550 tubes; 130 watts)
- 100-watt Dumble Overdrive Special (built with reverb included)
- Two Pacific Woodworks 1x12 ported cabinets (Both are loaded with EV BlackLabel Zakk Wylde signature speakers and can handle 300 watts each.)
Effects
- Two Boss SD-1W Waza Craft Super Overdrives with different settings
- Mr. Black SuperMoon Chrome
- FXengineering RAF Mirage Compressor
- Ibanez TS9 with Tamura Mod
- Boss BD-2 Blues Driver
- J. Rockett Audio .45 Caliber Overdrive
- Pro Co RAT 2
- Radial Engineering JX44 (for guitar distribution)
- Fractal Audio Axe-Fx XL+ (for acoustic guitars)
- Two Fractal Audio Axe-Fx III (one for electric guitar, one for bass)
- Bricasti Design Model 7 Stereo Reverb Processor
- RJM Effect Gizmo (for pedal loops)
(Note: All delays, reverb, chorus, etc. is done post amp. The signal is captured with microphones first then processed by Axe-Fx and other gear.)
- Shure Axient Digital Wireless Microphone System
Strings & Picks
- D’Addario NYXL (.011–.049; electric)
- D’Addario EJ16 (.012–.053; acoustics)
- D’Addario EJ16, for ganjo (.012–.053; much thicker than a typical banjo strings)
- D’Addario 1.0 mm signature picks
He vividly remembers the first song he was able to play after “corny songs like ‘Mama’s little baby loves shortnin’ bread.’” He recalls, “There was a song I loved by the Stylistics, ‘You Make Me Feel Brand New.’ My guitar teacher brought in the sheet music, so not only did I have the words, but above them were the chords. I strummed the first chord, and went, [sings E to Am] ‘My love,’ and then minor, ‘I'll never find the words, my,’ back to the original chord, ‘love.’ Even now, I get covered in chills thinking what it felt like to sing and put that chord sequence together.”
After the nylon-string Suzuki, he got his first electric at 9. “It was an Ibanez copy of a Telecaster Custom—the classic dark walnut with the mother-of-pearl pickguard. My first Fender was a Stratocaster. I wanted one so badly. I’d just discovered Mark Knopfler, and I only wanted a red Strat, because that’s what Knopfler had. And he had a red Strat because of Hank Marvin. All roads lead to Hank!”
He clarifies, “Remember a short-lived run of guitar that Fender did around 1980–’81, simply called ‘the Strat’? I got talked into buying one of those, and the thing weighed a ton. Ridiculously heavy. But I was just smitten when it arrived. ‘Sultans of Swing’ was the first thing I played on it. ‘Oh my god! I sound a bit like Mark.’”
“Messed Up As Me” has some licks reminiscent of Knopfler. “I think he influenced a huge amount of my fingerpicking and melodic choices. I devoured those records more than any other guitar player. ‘Tunnel of Love,’ ‘Love over Gold,’ ‘Telegraph Road,’ the first Dire Straits album, and Communique. I was spellbound by Mark’s touch, tone, and melodic choice every time.”
Other influences are more obscure. “There were lots of session guitar players whose solos I was loving, but had no clue who they were,” he explains. “A good example was Ian Bairnson in the Scottish band Pilot and the Alan Parsons Project. It was only in the last handful of years that I stumbled upon him and did a deep dive, and realized he played the solo on ‘Wuthering Heights’ by Kate Bush, ‘Eye in the Sky’ by Alan Parsons, ‘It’s Magic’ and ‘January’ by Pilot—all these songs that spoke to me growing up. I also feel like a lot of local-band guitar players are inspirations—they certainly were to me. They didn’t have a name, the band wasn’t famous, but when you’re 12 or 13, watching Barry Clough and guys in cover bands, it’s, ‘Man, I wish I could play like that.’”
On High, Urban keeps things song-oriented, playing short and economical solos.
In terms of country guitarists, he nods, “Again, a lot of session players whose names I didn’t know, like Reggie Young. The first names I think would be Albert Lee and Ray Flacke, whose chicken pickin’ stuff on the Ricky Skaggs records became a big influence. ‘How is he doing that?’”
Flacke played a role in a humorous juxtaposition. “I camped out to see Iron Maiden,” Urban recounts. “They’d just put out Number of the Beast, and I was a big fan. I was 15, so my hormones were raging. I’d been playing country since I was 6, 7, 8 years old. But this new heavy metal thing is totally speaking to me. So I joined a heavy metal band called Fractured Mirror, just as their guitar player. At the same time, I also discovered Ricky Skaggs and Highways and Heartaches. What is this chicken pickin’ thing? One night I was in the metal band, doing a Judas Priest song or Saxon. They threw me a solo, and through my red Strat, plugged into a Marshall stack that belonged to the lead singer, I shredded this high-distortion, chicken pickin’ solo. The lead singer looked at me like, ‘What the fuck are you doing?’ I got fired from the band.”
Although at 15 he “floated around different kinds of music and bands,” when he was 21 he saw John Mellencamp. “He’d just put out Lonesome Jubilee. I’d been in bands covering ‘Hurts So Good,' ‘Jack & Diane,’ and all the early shit. This record had fiddle and mandolin and acoustic guitars, wall of electrics, drums—the most amazing fusion of things. I saw that concert, and this epiphany happened so profoundly. I looked at the stage and thought, ‘Whoa! I get it. You take all your influences and make your own thing. That’s what John did. I’m not gonna think about genre; I’m gonna take all the things I love and find my way.’
“Of course, getting to Nashville with that recipe wasn’t going to fly in 1993,” he laughs. “Took me another seven-plus years to really start getting some traction in that town.”
Urban’s main amp today is a Dumble Overdrive Reverb, which used to belong to John Mayer. He also owns a bass amp that Alexander Dumble built for himself.
Photo by Jim Summaria
When it comes to “crossover” in country music, one thinks of Glen Campbell, Kenny Rogers, Garth Brooks, and Dolly Parton’s more commercial singles like “Two Doors Down.” Regarding the often polarizing subject and, indeed, what constitutes country music, it’s obvious that Urban has thought a lot—and probably been asked a lot—about the syndrome. The Speed of Now Part 1 blurs so many lines, it makes Shania Twain sound like Mother Maybelle Carter. Well, almost.
“I can’t speak for any other artists, but to me, it’s always organic,” he begins. “Anybody that’s ever seen me play live would notice that I cover a huge stylistic field of music, incorporating my influences, from country, Top 40, rock, pop, soft rock, bluegrass, real country. That’s how you get songs like ‘Kiss a Girl’—maybe more ’70s influence than anything else.”
“I think [Mark Knopfler] influenced a huge amount of my fingerpicking and melodic choices. I devoured those records more than any other guitar player.”
Citing ’50s producers Chet Atkins and Owen Bradley, who moved the genre from hillbilly to the more sophisticated countrypolitan, Keith argues, “In the history of country music, this is exactly the same as it has always been. Patsy Cline doing ‘Walking After Midnight’ or ‘Crazy’; it ain’t Bob Wills. It ain’t Hank Williams. It’s a new sound, drawing on pop elements. That’s the 1950s, and it has never changed. I’ve always seen country like a lung, that expands outwards because it embraces new sounds, new artists, new fusions, to find a bigger audience. Then it feels, ‘We’ve lost our way. Holy crap, I don’t even know who we are,’ and it shrinks back down again. Because a purist in the traditional sense comes along, whether it be Ricky Skaggs or Randy Travis. The only thing that I think has changed is there’s portals now for everything, which didn’t used to exist. There isn’t one central control area that would yell at everybody, ‘You’ve got to bring it back to the center.’ I don’t know that we have that center anymore.”
Stating his position regarding the current crop of talent, he reflects, “To someone who says, ‘That’s not country music,’ I always go, “‘It’s not your country music; it’s somebody else’s country music.’ I don’t believe anybody has a right to say something’s not anything. It’s been amazing watching this generation actually say, ‘Can we get back to a bit of purity? Can we get real guitars and real storytelling?’ So you’ve seen the explosion of Zach Bryan and Tyler Childers who are way purer than the previous generation of country music.”
Seen performing here in 2003, Urban is celebrated mostly for his songwriting, but is also an excellent guitarist.
Photo by Steve Trager/Frank White Photo Agency
As for the actual recording process, he notes, “This always shocks people, but ‘Chattahoochee’ by Alan Jackson is all drum machine. I write songs on acoustic guitar and drum machine, or drum machine and banjo. Of course, you go into the studio and replace that with a drummer. But my very first official single, in 1999, was ‘It’s a Love Thing,’ and it literally opens with a drum loop and an acoustic guitar riff. Then the drummer comes in. But the loop never goes away, and you hear it crystal clear. I haven’t changed much about that approach.”
On the road, Urban utilizes different electrics “almost always because of different pickups—single-coil, humbucker, P-90. And then one that’s tuned down a half-step for a few songs in half-keys. Tele, Strat, Les Paul, a couple of others for color. I’ve got a John Bolin guitar that I love—the feel of it. It’s a Tele design with just one PAF, one volume knob, no tone control. It’s very light, beautifully balanced—every string, every fret, all the way up the neck. It doesn’t have a lot of tonal character of its own, so it lets my fingers do the coloring. You can feel the fingerprints of Billy Gibbons on this guitar. It’s very Billy.”
“I looked at the stage and thought, ‘Whoa! I get it. You take all your influences and make your own thing. I’m gonna take all the things I love and find my way.’”
Addressing his role as the collector, “or acquirer,” as he says, some pieces have quite a history. “I haven’t gone out specifically thinking, ‘I’m missing this from the collection.’ I feel really lucky to have a couple of very special guitars. I got Waylon Jennings’ guitar in an auction. It was one he had all through the ’70s, wrapped in the leather and the whole thing. In the ’80s, he gave it to Reggie Young, who owned it for 25 years or so and eventually put it up for auction. My wife wanted to give it to me for my birthday. I was trying to bid on it, and she made sure that I couldn’t get registered! When it arrived, I discovered it’s a 1950 Broadcaster—which is insane. I had no idea. I just wanted it because I’m a massive Waylon fan, and I couldn’t bear the thought of that guitar disappearing overseas under somebody’s bed, when it should be played.
“I also have a 1951 Nocaster, which used to belong to Tom Keifer in Cinderella. It’s the best Telecaster I’ve ever played, hands down. It has the loudest, most ferocious pickup, and the wood is amazing.”
YouTube
Urban plays a Gibson SG here at the 2023 CMT Music Awards. Wait until the end to see him show off his shred abilities.
Other favorites include “a first-year Strat, ’54, that I love, and a ’58 goldtop. I also own a ’58 ’burst, but prefer the goldtop; it’s just a bit more spanky and lively. I feel abundantly blessed with the guitars I’ve been able to own and play. And I think every guitar should be played, literally. There’s no guitar that’s too precious to be played.”
Speaking of precious, there are also a few Dumble amps that elicit “oohs” and “aahs.” “Around 2008, John Mayer had a few of them, and he wanted to part with this particular Overdrive Special head. When he told me the price, I said, ‘That sounds ludicrous.’ He said, ‘How much is your most expensive guitar?’ It was three times the value of the amp. He said, ‘So that’s one guitar. What amp are you plugging all these expensive guitars into?’ I was like, ‘Sold. I guess when you look at it that way.’ It’s just glorious. It actually highlighted some limitations in some guitars I never noticed before.”
“It’s just glorious. It actually highlighted some limitations in some guitars I never noticed before.”
Keith also developed a relationship with the late Alexander Dumble. “We emailed back and forth, a lot of just life stuff and the beautifully eccentric stuff he was known for. His vocabulary was as interesting as his tubes and harmonic understanding. My one regret is that he invited me out to the ranch many times, and I was never able to go. Right now, my main amp is an Overdrive Reverb that also used to belong to John when he was doing the John Mayer Trio. I got it years later. And I have an Odyssey, which was Alexander’s personal bass amp that he built for himself. I sent all the details to him, and he said, ‘Yeah, that’s my amp.’”
The gearhead in Keith doesn’t even mind minutiae like picks and strings. “I’ve never held picks with the pointy bit hitting the string. I have custom picks that D’Addario makes for me. They have little grippy ridges like on Dunlops and Hercos, but I have that section just placed in one corner. I can use a little bit of it on the string, or I can flip it over. During the pandemic, I decided to go down a couple of string gauges. I was getting comfortable on .009s, and I thought, ‘Great. I’ve lightened up my playing.’ Then the very first gig, I was bending the crap out of them. So I went to .010s, except for a couple of guitars that are .011s.”
As with his best albums, High is song-oriented; thus, solos are short and economical. “Growing up, I listened to songs where the guitar was just in support of that song,” he reasons. “If the song needs a two-bar break, and then you want to hear the next vocal section, that’s what it needs. If it sounds like it needs a longer guitar section, then that’s what it needs. There’s even a track called ‘Love Is Hard’ that doesn’t have any solo. It’s the first thing I’ve ever recorded in my life where I literally don’t play one instrument. Eren Cannata co-wrote it [with Shane McAnally and Justin Tranter], and I really loved the demo with him playing all the instruments. I loved it so much I just went with his acoustic guitar. I’m that much in service of the song.”
Gibson originally launched the EB-6 model with the intention of serving consumers looking for a “tic-tac” bass sound.
The Gibson EB-6 was announced in 1959 and came into the world in 1960, not with a dual-horn body but with that of an elegant ES-335. They looked stately, with a thin, semi-hollow body, f-holes, and a sunburst finish. Our pick for this Vintage Vault column is one such first-year model, in about as original condition as you’re able to find today. “Why?” you may be asking. Well, read on....
When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fender’s eye. The real competition were the Danelectro 6-string basses that seemed to have popped up out of nowhere and were suddenly being used on lots of hit records by the likes of Elvis, Patsy Cline, and other household names. Danos like the UB-2 (introduced in ’56), the Longhorn 4623 (’58), and the Shorthorn 3612 (’58) were the earliest attempts any company made at a 6-string bass in this style: not quite a standard electric bass, not quite a guitar, nor, for that matter, quite like a baritone guitar.
The only change this vintage EB-6 features is a replacement set of Kluson tuners.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
Gibson, Fender, and others during this era would in fact call these basses “baritone guitars,” to add to our confusion today. But these vintage “baritones” were all tuned one octave below a standard guitar, with scale lengths around 30", while most modern baritones are tuned B-to-B or A-to-A and have scale lengths between 26" and 30".)
At the time, those Danelectros were instrumental to what was called the “tic-tac” bass sound of Nashville records produced by Chet Atkins, or the “click-bass” tones made out west by producer Lee Hazlewood. Gibson wanted something for this market, and the EB-6 was born.
“When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fender’s eye.”
The 30.5" scale 1960 EB-6 has a single humbucking pickup, a volume knob, a tone knob, and a small, push-button “Tone Selector Switch” that engages a treble circuit for an instant tic-tac sound. (Without engaging that switch, you get a bass-heavy tone so deep that cowboy chords will sound like a muddy mess.)
The EB-6, for better or for worse, did not unseat the Danelectros, and a November 1959 price list from Gibson hints at why: The EB-6 retailed for $340, compared to Dano price tags that ranged from $85 to $150. Only a few dozen EB-6 basses were shipped in 1960, and only 67 total are known to have been built before Gibson changed the shape to the SG style in 1962.
Most players who come across an EB-6 today think it was a response to the Fender Bass VI, but the former actually beat the latter to the market by a full year.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
It’s sad that so few were built. Sure, it was a high-end model made to achieve the novelty tic-tac sound of cheaper instruments, but in its full-voiced glory, the EB-6 has a huge potential of tones. It would sound great in our contemporary guitar era where more players are exploring baritone ranges, and where so many people got back into the Bass VI after seeing the Beatles play one in the 2021 documentary, Get Back.
It’s sadder, still, how many original-era EB-6s have been parted out in the decades since. Remember earlier when I wrote that our Vintage Vaultpick was about as original as you could find? That’s because the model’s single humbucker is a PAF, its Kluson tuners are double-line, and its knobs are identical to those on Les Paul ’Bursts. So as people repaired broken ’Bursts, converted other LPs to ’Bursts, or otherwise sought to give other Gibsons a “Golden Era” sound and look ... they often stripped these forgotten EB-6 basses for parts.
This original EB-6 is up for sale now from Reverb seller Emerald City Guitars for a $16,950 asking price at the time of writing. The only thing that isn’t original about it is a replacement set of Kluson tuners, not because its originals were stolen but just to help preserve them. (They will be included in the case.)
With so few surviving 335-style EB-6 basses, Reverb doesn’t have a ton of sales data to compare prices to. Ten years ago, a lucky buyer found a nearly original 1960 EB-6 for about $7,000. But Emerald City’s $16,950 asking price is closer to more recent examples and asking prices.
Sources: Prices on Gibson Instruments, November 1, 1959, Tony Bacon’s “Danelectro’s UB-2 and the Early Days of 6-String Basses” Reverb News article, Gruhn’s Guide to Vintage Guitars, Tom Wheeler’s American Guitars: An Illustrated History, Reverb listings and Price Guide sales data.
Billy Gibbons is an undisputable guitar force whose feel, tone, and all-around vibe make him the highest level of hero. But that’s not to say he hasn’t made some odd choices in his career, like when ZZ Top re-recorded parts of their classic albums for CD release. And fans will argue which era of the band’s career is best. Some of us love drum machines and synths and others don’t, but we all love Billy.
This episode is sponsored by Magnatone
Originally released in the 1980s, the Victory has long been a cult favorite among guitarists for its distinctive double cutaway design and excellent upper-fret access. These new models feature flexible electronics, enhanced body contours, improved weight and balance, and an Explorer headstock shape.
A Cult Classic Made Modern
The new Victory features refined body contours, improved weight and balance, and an updated headstock shape based on the popular Gibson Explorer.
Effortless Playing
With a fast-playing SlimTaper neck profile and ebony fretboard with a compound radius, the Victory delivers low action without fret buzz everywhere on the fretboard.
Flexible Electronics
The two 80s Tribute humbucker pickups are wired to push/pull master volume and tone controls for coil splitting and inner/outer coil selection when the coils are split.
For more information, please visit gibson.com.
Gibson Victory Figured Top Electric Guitar - Iguana Burst
